Unlikely Companies Using Direct Marketing

January 14, 2015

WHY DO GOOGLE AND AMAZON USE DIRECT MAIL?

What?? Google and Amazon both use direct mail. Aren’t they THE masters of online commerce? Well yes they are, but Google and Amazon, along with CVS, Target, SOMA and most large retailers know that direct mail can be used to achieve very specific goals.

While these companies are known as voracious digital marketers, they also understand the power of customer engagement via integrated campaigns. With integrated campaigns, direct mail can be your secret card up the sleeve with uses only limited to your imagination (and maybe your budget).

Today, the average consumer is pelted with anywhere from 3-5,000 marketing messages per day. Humans are not made to process stimuli at that rate, so we don’t. Our subconscious does a lot of scanning. Processing the messages to determine if there’s an interest or connection in some way; if yes then it just might warrant more attention. This is the definition of Customer Engagement – make me care about what you are saying and you might earn my attention.

ENGAGING CUSTOMERS USING INTEGRATED CAMPAIGNS – DIRECT MAIL + DIGITAL

Make an IntroductionIntroduce your new or revised offerings to clients and prospects via email and direct mail. Craft a message that includes why you thought they would want to know this exciting news and point them to a special web page to see more or take further action.

Showcase Your Wares in Full-Color
A slick catalog showcasing your wares in full-color is still better eye candy than anything you can find on the web. Plus it’s all in one place with no clicks. While you’re at it insert some kind of call to action – coupon, special web offer, or free item to encourage a visit. Adding a special message on the cover as to why they got this catalogue can also help with engagement.

Identify Specific BenefitsDigital giant, Amazon, recently used direct mail to reach out to all of their Amazon Prime members explaining the new unlimited streaming video library that’s part of the membership with specific content targeting Netflix, their main competitor. Not only were they explaining the value of the Prime membership, but also spelling out how Prime can save you over $100 a year by getting rid of Netflix. Genius, sheer genius. The envelope very specifically spoke to “Information about Your Prime Membership” to show clear association with the recipient.

Deliver Something to Hold On ToWith everyone stuck to their phones these days, the truth is that electronic information doesn’t feel like something you can hold on to. Plus it’s hard to find things in the digital world of email and web sites. Direct mail gives people something to hold onto that’s simple and easy. It can be as simple as a coupon or bigger like a recycling pick-up schedule, list of holidays this year, tipping guide, or anything else that is relevant to your product and meaningful to the recipient.

Ask for Action or FeedbackConsumers are on digital survey overload these days, there are web surveys on every receipt and email surveys for every single thing ordered online. Even for companies they like, they are sick of the surveys littering their inboxes. It’s worth asking for feedback via direct mail because my guess is, if it’s short and easy, you might get a better response. Or better yet, be creative, offer to take buy them lunch if they’ll answer just one question for you. Now that would be bold!

Whatever you decide to try, be sure to clearly spell out how you’re connected to the recipient and why out of the 5,000 messages they saw that day, they should pay attention to yours.

Are you ready to implement an amazing integrated marketing campaign? At Three Dog Logistics we offer lots of simple choices. Using our upgraded Every Door Direct Collection, you can mail out High Density offerings showcasing a catalog of products. We have solutions for every shape and size parcel, or we can simply save you money on direct mail. Remember, we take the bite out of postage and freight. Visit www.threedoglogistics.com or call 410-284-5494 extension 340 to schedule a complimentary consultation today.